P002099 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

All key entry types: Awards; Concepts; Corporate Bodies (Organisations); Cultural Artefacts; People; etc

These key entries are listed separately below with other indexes and lists.

 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human Gavan McCarthy [P004098]; Ken McInnes updated 2026-03-25 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P002099b.htm person Bennett William Christopher AACR2 4 July 1824 29 September 1889 Place of Birth Rathmines, County Dublin, Ireland Place of Death Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Engineer William Bennett, MInstCE, occupied many important engineering posts in New South Wales including that of commissioner for main roads. He advised against a narrow-gauge railway to Mudgee, saving the colony from the confusion of two internal railway gauges.

Articled surveyor 1840; worked in Ireland on border surveys and as a surveyor and engineer on railways and drainage works; surveying and exploring, Latin America 1852 and 1853; New Zealand 1854; Survey Department, New South Wales 1855; assistant city Engineer on sewage works 1855-56; Campbelltown railway extension 1857-58; assistant engineer of main roads to superintend the repair of a flood-damaged bridge at Bathurst 1858; engineer to the Department of Roads 1859-60; Railway Department 1862; commissioner for main roads 1862-89. Appointed to special commissions in the field of water supply and sewerage in Sydney 1868, 1875 and 1888.

19 May 1857 19 May 1857 Career event - Associate Member (AssocMInstCE), Institution of Civil Engineers, London 16 Feb 1864 16 Feb 1864 Career event - Member (MInstCE), Institution of Civil Engineers, London Deane, Henry (1847 - 1924)

William Bennett MInstCE endorsed Henry Deane's nomination for MInstCE in 1886

 Walsh, Henry Deane (1853 - 1921)

William Bennett MInstCE endorsed Henry Walsh's nomination for AssocMInstCE in 1883, and his nomination for MInstCE in 1889

 de Burgh, Ernest Macartney (1863 - 1929)

William Bennett MInstCE proposed Ernest de Burgh's nomination for AssocMInstCE, 1888.

 Warren, William Henry (1852 - 1926)

W. H. Warren worked for Roads and Bridges, NSW Public Works Department under W. C. Bennett, 1880-1883

 Shellshear, Walter (1856 - 1939)

Shellshear worked for Roads and Bridges, NSW Public Works Department under W. C. Bennett 1880 - 1881. Bennett MInstCE endorsed Walter Shellshear's nomination for AssocMInstCE 1882.

Wikidata

 Bennett, William Christopher (1824-1889)

Trove

 'Bennett, William Christopher', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Bennett, William Christopher Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Edited Book: The timber truss bridge book Coltheart, Lenore; and Nicholas, Amie The timber truss bridge book Auburn, N.S.W. Transport for NSW 2019 Book Section: Bennett, William Christopher (1824-1889), engineer and surveyor Johnson, Robert Bennett, William Christopher (1824-1889), engineer and surveyor Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1969 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 3: 1851 - 1890 A-C Douglas Pike 142-143 Resource: Civil Engineer Membership Forms, 1818-1930 Institution of Civil Engineers, London Civil Engineer Membership Forms, 1818-1930 ancestry.com Edited Book: Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 2: 1830-1890 Bailey, M. R.; Chrimes, M. M.; Cox, R. C.; Cross-Rudkin, P. S. M.; Hurst, B. L.; McWilliam, R. C.; Rennison, R. W.; Ruddock, E. C.; Sutherland, R. J. M.; Swailes, T. Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 2: 1830-1890 London, United Kingdom Thomas Telford Publishing 2008 Resource: Minutes of the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers Institution of Civil Engineers Minutes of the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers Institution of Civil Engineers Book Section: Chapter 5: Bridges Fraser, Don Chapter 5: Bridges Crows Nest, New South Wales Engineers Australia 1989 Sydney: from settlement to city: an engineering history of Sydney Don Fraser 97-122 Edited Book: Wonders never cease: 100 Australian engineering achievements Engineers Australia Wonders never cease: 100 Australian engineering achievements Barton, Australian Capital Territory Institution of Engineers, Australia 2019 William Christopher Bennett - Records Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales William Christopher Bennett - Records UMS 333 1850 - 1889 Various records including correspondence c1850-89 [2 boxes, uncatalogued MSS SET 333]. 2 boxes